Agriculture & Business Management Notes... Custom Rates for Colorado Farms & Ranches in 2009 Colorado State University Extension conducts an annual survey of agricultural producers, land owners and managers, lenders, agricultural consultants, machine operators, and Extension agents. The results of this survey are a report of custom rates charged for various crop and livestock operations in Colorado. The survey results are reported by region:,, and. The region generally includes those counties north of I-70 and east of the Rocky Mountains. It includes the Front. The region includes the southeastern Colorado and the San Luis Valley. The region generally includes those counties in and west of the mountains. Reported rates represent a variety of working conditions, machine and equipment sizes, and farm and ranch operations. They do not necessarily measure the full economic cost of performing the work specified. Some custom operators may charge only for the costs of fuel and labor. Others may charge for all costs including depreciation on equipment and allowance for risk. Field conditions, such as size, terrain, and location, may also account for variations in rates charged. Reported charges were used to determine a range of custom rate charges. Most common refers to the custom rate reported most often. indicates that insufficient information was available for that particular activity. Custom rates in 2009 were generally the same or slightly lower than those charged in 2008. On reason for lower rates is that operators paid lower prices for fuel. Conversely, lower fuel prices may have been offset by higher repair and other costs. The authors would like to thank everyone who contributed to the 2009 custom rates survey. The rates reported in this report are not recommended rates, but simply indicate rates currently being charged throughout Colorado, as reported in the survey. The information in this report should be used only as a guide. Authors: Jeffrey E. Tranel, Rodney L. Sharp, and John Deering, Agricultural and Business Management Economists with Colorado State University Extension and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. This report, decision tools, and other information pertaining to myriad farm and ranch management issues are available at the ABM web site: www.coopext.colostate.edu/abm/.
NE & Front Tillage Stalk Shredding - 9.00-14.00-14.00 Plow - Moldboard 14.00-15.50 1-40.00 1-35.00 25.00 Plow - Deep Chisel (Irrigated) 18.50 - - 22.00-25.00 Plow - Deep Chisel (Dryland) - - - 25.00 Plow - Surface Chisel (Irrigated) 9.50 - - 14.00 - Plow - Surface Chisel (Dryland) 9.50 - - - Plow - One Way 13.50-15.50 14.00 - - 30.00 Plow - Sweep - 5.50 - - Disk (Irrigated) 9.00-10.25-25.00 - Disk (Dryland) 9.00-10.25-25.00 - Crust Busting - - - Mulching 7.00 - - - Harrow - Spike Tooth - 6.25 - -
NE & Front Tillage, continued Cultivating - Field 9.25-12.50 - - Cultivating - Bedding - 12.50 - - Rod Weeder 5.00-7.00 4.00-14.00 - Rotary Hoe 6.75-7.00 7.00-14.00 - Land Leveling (Floating) 9.00 - - 25.00 - Furrowing 11.00 - - 25.00 1 - Strip Till (Tillage Only) 12.25-1 1 - -
NE & Front Chemical & fertilizer Application (Does Not Include Materials) Dry Fertilizer 4.00-5.00-5.00 - Liquid Fertilizer 5.50-5.50 4.50-5.00 - Anhydrous Ammonia 7.50 - - - 12.50 Anhydrous Ammonia with Sweep 7.75-11.00 - Aerial Spraying 5.50-7.50-7.00 - Boom Sprayer 4.50-6.50 4.50-7.00 5.00 - Side-Dress 9.00 - - 60.00 -
NE & Front Planting (Excludes Seed and Transplants) Seed Cleaning (Small Grains) $/bu.60 -.75.75 0.35-0.75.50.50 -.90.70 Plant - Row Crops (30-inch spacing) - 1 1-30.00 1-35.00 Plant - Drill 7.00-8.50 - - 12.50 Plant - Air Seeder 9.00-14.00 - - 12.50 Plant - Oilseeds and Dry Beans - 1 - Plant - Legumes - Plant - Grass 7.75-8.50-1 - 25.00 Plant - Strip Till 23.00-27.00 27.00-35.00 2 Plant - Ridge Till - Plant - No Till (Row Crops) - 1 1-1 - 1 Plant - No Till (Grain Crops) 9.50-11.00 - -
NE & Front Grain Harvesting In some locales there is both a fixed rate per acre and a variable rate per bushel charged for combining. For example, the costs for harvesting dryland wheat may be 23:23:23 (3-23s) $23 per acre plus $0.23 for each bushel harvested in excess of 20 bushels per acre, plus $0.23 per bushel for hauling. Combine - Corn/Sorghum (Irrigated) $/Bu 35.00-50.00 0.16-0.16 1-45.00 0.21-0.40 30.00-50.00 0.21-0.40 50.00 0.16 25.50 0.35 35.00 0.40 Combine - Corn/Sorghum (Dryland) $/Bu 27.00-35.00 0.21-0.30-0.12-0.40 35.00 0.21 0.35 Combine - Small Grains (Irrigated) $/Bu 2-40.00 0.21-0.24-25.00 0.21-0.23-30.00 0.20-0.22 35.00 0.21 21.50 0.21 25.00 0.20 Combine - Small Grains (Dryland) $/Bu - 35.00 0.15-0.21-22.00 0.13-0.25-35.00 0.15-0.21 35.00 0.20 0.15 0.20 Combine - Oilseeds and Dry Beans 35.00-60.00 60.00 Combine - Soybeans 40.00-45.00 45.00 Swath - Small Grains - 12.50 - Haul - Grain $/bu 0.12-0.15 0.15 0.10-0.30 0.15 0.15-0.21 0.18 Haul - Soybeans & Oilseeds $/bu 0.15-0.25 0.15
NE & Front Hay and Silage Harvesting Silage Chopping & Hauling 35.00-75.00 50.00-45.00 35.00 35.00-40.00 35.00 Mowing 13.00-30.00 9.00-1 14.00 - Swathing - 14.00 9.00 - - 14.00 Raking 5.00-7.00 3.00-5.00-7.00 Baling - Small Square (about 70 lbs) $/bale 0.50-2.20 1.00 2 0.50-0.90 14.00-25.00 0.60-0.80 0.75 Baling - Med. Square (3x3, 800 lbs) $/bale 1 - - 1-35.00 Baling - Large Square (4x4, 1750 lbs) $/bale 1-25.00 1-1 - 25.00 1 Baling - Round (about 1500 lbs) $/bale 14.00-1 - 11.00 - - 25.00 Loading/Stacking - Sm Sq Bales $/bale 0.32-0.55 0.45 0.35-0.70 0.40 0.40-0.60 0.50 Haul - Small Square Bales $/ton - 14.00 9.00 - - 9.00 Haul - Med & Large Bales $/ton - 12.50 4.00-5.00 -
NE & Front Haul - Round Bales $/bale - 3.33-5.00-7.00 Tub Grinding $/ton 13.00-1 1 - - 1 Equipment Transport s $/mile 2.00-3.00 NE & Front Orchard Apples - Pruning 200-280 225 Apples - Thinning 250-375 300 Apples - Picking 1.10-1.60 1.50 Peaches - Picking 1.50-1.75 1.60 Grapes - Pruning 300-385 350 Grapes - Picking 525-600 575
NE & Front Labor: The reported rates do not include any benefits given employees, including such items as health insurance, contributions to retirement, house, utilities, beef, produce, cattle grazing privileges, horse maintenance privileges, etc. Hired Labor - High Level Positions $/hour 9.00-11.50 8.50 - - Hired Labor - Low Level Positions $/hour 7.50-9.00 - - Tractor Drivers - High Level Positions $/hour 7.50-14.00-13.00 - Tractor Drivers - Low Level Positions $/hour 7.50-9.00 - - Irrigators - Experienced $/hour 7.50-9.00 - - Irrigators - Less Experienced $/hour 7.35-9.00 - - Hired Labor - Year Round Employees $/month 3,000-5,000 3,000 3,200-5,500 5,000 3,500-5,000 Foreman - Experienced $/month 2,500-4,000 4,000 2,000-4000 4000 2,500-4,000 Foreman - Less Experienced $/month 2,000-3,500 3,000 1,700-3,000 1,700 2,000-3,000 Manager - Experienced $/month 4,000-5,000 5,000 4,000-5,000 5,000 4,000-5,000 Manager - Less Experienced $/month 4,000-4,500 4,000 4,000-4,500 4,000 3,500-4,000
NE & Front Crop Share Rental Arrangements Listed crop share arrangements are the most common and do not specify which expenses, if any, are paid by the land owner. Corn and Sorghum (Irrigated) Corn and Sorghum (Dryland) 3/4 1/4 Small Grains (Irrigated) Small Grains (Dryland) 3/4 1/4 3/4 1/4 Oilseeds & Millet (Dryland) 3/4 1/4 Alfalfa (Irrigated) 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 Dry Beans (Irrigated) Other (Irrigated) 70 30 Other (Dryland) Cash Rental Arrangements Listed cash rental arrangements are the most common and do not specify which expenses, if any, are paid by the land owner. Irrigated Crop Production 120-160 110-225 80-180 Dryland Crop Production 20-45 20-25
NE & Front Livestock Shearing - Lambs $/head 1.75 3.00-5.00 3.00 Shearing - Ewes $/head 4.00-4.00 2.00-3.00 Shearing - Rams $/head - 4.00 - Tagging - Sheep $/head 1.00-3.00 1.50 Fertility Testing - Rams $/head 42.00-45.00 45.00-35.00-35.00 25.00 Fertility Testing - Bulls $/head 25.00-45.00 25.00 27.00-35.00 35.00-45.00 35.00 Pregnancy Testing - Cows $/head - 3.00-3.00 5.00 - (There may be an additional charge of $0.50 - $1.50 per mile) Ultrasound Diagnosis - Sheep $/head 2.20-4.00 3.00 1.10-4.00 1.50 3.25-6.50 4.50 Shoeing (with shoes) - Horse $/head 45.00-85.00 85.00 6-140.00 85.00 85.00-1 85.00 Hoof Trimming - Horse $/head 35.00-40.00 40.00-50.00 45.00 25.00-55.00 40.00 Haul Livestock $/loaded mile 3.50-5.50 3.50-5.50 3.50 3.50-5.00 4.00 Building Fence (including materials) $/mile 5,500-7,500 6,500 5,000-7,500 5,280 5,000-7,500 6,500
NE & Front Livestock Grazing The costs of grazing on pastures of all types depends greatly on the provider (landowner or renter) of items such as fencing, water, salt and minerals, and care. Cows - Native $/hd/month 25.00-27.00 25.00 11.00-24.00 14.00-30.00 1 Cows - Irrigated Pasture $/hd/month - 25.00 25.50-28.50 25.50-30.00 1 Cows - Wheat Pasture $/hd/month 1-22.00 1 - - 30.00 1 Cows - Corn/Milo Stalks $/hd/month 7.00 - - 1 1-30.00 Cows - Crop Stubble & Aftermath $/hd/month - 30.00 1 Yearlings - Native $/hd/month - 13.00-21.00 Yearlings - Irrigated Pasture $/hd/month - - 25.00 Yearlings - Wheat Pasture $/hd/month - 17.50 9.00 - Yearlings - Corn/Milo Stalks $/hd/day 0.25-0.70 0.50 Yearlings - Stubble & Aftermath $/hd/month - 22.00 Yearlings - All Pasture Types $/lb of gain 0.35-0.70 0.50 0.35-0.70 0.50 Sheep - All Pasture $/hd/day 0.03-0.10 0.10-0.25 0.15